A Himura for the 20th Century
by Genjo-Sanzos-Dimensional-Fan
Summary: Rated R for violence, drug and alcohol use, and some sensuality. Hitokiri Battousai has been dead several years, but another red haired swordsman appears bearing skills sharper than her blade. Mayumi Himura is her name, and she shows her foes no mercy.
1. Default Chapter

CHAPTER I: THE FEMALE BATTOUSAI  
  
As with most nights, the moon sends a glow about the land; its soft touch caressing the ground with the light of a pale sun. The light reflects off of the expansive palace of Hiroto Masuma, a powerful business executive with more dirty money than skin. The guards are illuminated in this light and are given the appearance of apparitions in the night; as they rigorously patrol the area of their master, a slight wind picks up from the east, and none of them notice the red haired female rush past them into a nearby covering of trees.  
She was told to keep the casualties on this mission to a minimum as too much bloodshed was bad for business. The young lady was born Mayumi Himura, but it has been so long since anyone called her by that name, she has to remind herself every once and a while to keep from forgetting. Himura's katana glistened even in moonlight almost as if to share her desire for the shedding of blood; she smiled behind closed lips, for she was a left handed swordsman, and that always put her at a distinct advantage.  
According to the blueprints of the castle, there are four people directly in the path of her and her target. She licks her lips together as she has no intention of avoiding them or being stealthy about; the inheritance of the Hiten-Mitsurugi style of swordsmanship allows her speeds that rival gods. The moon seems to turn red as she begins to advance calmly towards her target, and the guards jump at her trap. The first guard is dead before he draws his blade; Himura strikes with her blade with a single swipe across the throat. The other two turn almost simultaneously and run out to attack her; Himura parries the first clumsy strike and trips the guard with a well-placed kick to the ankle. The next two guards strike both at once; Himura blocks one with the iron sheath from where her katana resides, and other with a vertical slice downward. In one swift motion, she spins towards the guard who she parried with the sheath and removed his head from his shoulders with the katana; then she thrust the sheath into the other guard's belly and pins him to the wall with it. Knowing that he happens to be pinned to the door she needs to enter, she kicks the sheath all the way through the guard, and the door opens revealing a shocked Masuma and another guard. Maybe, she could show a little mercy, but then again: "mercy is for the weak", her mentor's words ring in her ears. Himura grasps the katana in her left hand and hurls it 30 feet from her current position into the chest of Masuma; the katana buries itself down to the hilt in his chest. The guard seems so shocked but not surprised; he kneels before Himura and says, "My name is Kenshiro Umita; I was contacted by your people yesterday, and I am prepared to join your cause." "Good answer my friend because if my master cannot have you, then no one can," replies Himura. Umita smiles and leans back wondering if this is making the right decision. The dai-katana 


	2. Chapter II: Master of the KoNoDachi

Chapter II: Kenshiro Umita: Master of the Ko-No-Dachi  
  
As the two swordsmen flee the scene, Himura notices Umita is a little lost in thought and distracted, but the most disturbing thing is that his ability to keep up with her is effortless on his part. She knows that she is moving at a full run, but the fair-faced swordsman is almost jogging alongside her.  
  
"How did you get so fast?" Himura yells.  
  
"A lot of practice, too much training, and the power of the Sukuchi,"  
Umita responds.  
  
At this point, Himura's face hides the shock, but her brain could not comprehend how this mercenary for hire could possibly learned a technique that even her father had trouble defeating. This is no ordinary whelp for hire; "When we get back I will test his mettle," she thinks to herself, "I will do so hard not to shed his blood," licking her lips as she relishes the thought. They continue to run until they are well beyond the reach of any patrols, and the area flattens out into a plans area void of trees, bamboo, or any other possible obstructions.  
  
"Now, I will see if you are worthy of joining us in this cause," Himura calls to Umita.  
  
"Sweetheart, do not think just because you are a girl I will take it easy on you."  
  
With that said, Umita unsheathes both No-Dachi, one parallel to his forehead point facing the right, and the other, which is parallel to his waist, points to the left. Himura crouches low, for she realizes that when facing someone skilled in the Sukuchi, she needs to be faster. The wind picks up, as if it too is anticipating their sparring match. Then, Umita crouches and smiles keeping a broad grin on his face, as he seems prepared to strike.  
  
"You can't use the Battau-jutsu effectively on someone." Umita starts and then fades from view. Himura, confused, does not know what to expect. THUD! Right as air was exhaling through her lungs, the two no-dachis found their targets: either side of Himura's rib cage. ".if you can't see them coming," Umita finish as he appears 7 feet back from Himura.  
  
The blow was causing the blood from her inside to want to surface, and finally it did; "This is embarrassing," she thought, "but at least I feel better."  
  
Umita did not stop there; once the blood frees itself from her lips, he comes in, but nowhere near as fast as before. Himura strikes out with the Battau-jutsu, and she knows her strike was dead on, but Umita parries it away, moves in, and delivers a crescent kick directly to her breastbone. Himura staggers backwards but does not fall; she smiles.  
"You had a better shot at face just now; why did you not take it?" Himura asks."  
  
"Oh, that's easy," Umita responds with the grin still stuck on his face, "I didn't want to spoil that beautiful face of yours Battousai." "You may fight like a demon, but you are still a woman to me; a very powerful woman, but a woman nonetheless." "Shall we continue?"  
  
"Do you have to ask?" Himura responds indignantly, "I haven't even hit you yet."  
  
This time, Himura takes the initiative and charges toward Umita. She jumps and brings the sword straight down. "If I close the distance, "she thinks to herself, "then he won't be able to take advantage of the long reach of the no dachi."  
  
"Sucker!" Umita thinks, "Why do you think I am called the master of the 'Ko-No-Dachi'?"  
  
Umita dodges the vertical slice but gets caught as the sheath hit him in the side of the head granting him a large bruise. Himura closes in to finish it, but Umita flicks his wrists and the blades on the no-dachi shrink, and Himura sees this much too late. "No dachi into ko-dachi?! Impossible!" The two ko-dachis catch Himura underneath both armpits furthering the damage to the upper body.  
  
"What's wrong Himura?" Umita mocks, "I haven't even used the Sukuchi yet; perhaps, you should think harder about whom you start fights with."  
  
Himura, stunned, staggers backwards. "Ok, now I have to outthink him," Himura says to herself, "he is going to come in and finish me off, and the strikes will sweep to both of my sides cutting off my breathing completely; however, I shall jump to avoid them and hopefully land my father's favorite move."  
  
Umita closes in fast and swings with both ko-no-dachis (WHOOSH!); there is nothing there but air. Umita looks up to hear the words just before he goes unconscious. "Ryu-suitsen!" Umita hits the ground with a sickening thud that even makes Himura wince; the flat of her blade connected hard to the back of Umita's head.  
  
"I must be getting sloppy," Himura thinks to herself, "but why didn't he use the Sukuchi? Surely that would have given him the upper hand in this fight." At this point, her body reminds her of her own injuries, and Himura slumps down and lays down on the ground relieved that the fighting is over.  
  
"Well done Battousai," said a familiar voice behind her. She turns and bows to one knee.  
  
"Katsura-sama, I did not know that you would be here to meet us," Himura says with some wonder in her voice.  
  
"You did exactly as I expected you to," he responds as he turns to look at the 5'6" fair skinned male lying unconscious on the ground. "You do realize Himura that, at this juncture, if he were an assassin sent to kill you, he would have surely succeeded." Himura's eyes met the ground not wanting to look up to her master. "However, this man will be a great addition to our cause; he is every bit as good as my intelligence tells me, and he still has a lot of unleashed potential. You do know that you are both the same age right?" Himura's eyes could not hide the shock, "He is only 16 years old with that level of skill!" her mind screamed out to her, "I have to train harder because there will be more like him, better than him, I will become stronger!"  
  
"Himura, fortunately I have supplies here to set up camp for the night with, or else you would be carrying this gentleman on your back all the way to Kyoto," Katsura explains. "The Meiji era has gone sour; our ancestors built this era and would look to the ground in shame if they could see this disgrace. Politicians ruling the lives of the people, nonsense; we were better off fighting for a cause than living in the spoils of the success." The strong will rule, and the weak shall perish; that is the life of the Cho-shu clan 


End file.
